Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/212

196 January, this effective force reached 43,520 men. The artillery and engineer services have been made over since last year to Mexican officers nominated by the minister of war, and the inventory which was then made out was placed in their possession.

Owing to the trouble taken by the Austrian staff, there exists at Puebla a powder-mill and a percussion-cap manufactory, as well as workshops for iron, wood, and leather, which would provide for all the wants of the national army; all these appliances are at the sole disposal of the minister of war.

The imperial government has, therefore, all these elements under its control, with regard to which, however, I have never exercised any direct action. It also has the artillery, which exists in the fortified places, and 46,000 muskets and other arms, which have been distributed during the last three years to the Mexican army and to the population generally. A commander-in-chief's duty, as it is usually understood, is not to interfere with the discipline, advancement, and administration of the troops, but only to put them in operation, so that there may be unity of action.

I am sorry to have to say that this has not been the case, notwithstanding my reiterated observations; the generals commanding have more frequently acted according to their own caprice, or in consequence of orders proceeding directly from the minister of war.

Nothing prevents this course being continued, and the question as to the national troops being placed at the disposition of the government, is already solved as you wish it.

But it is necessary that generals nominated to divisional commands should proceed to their posts, as, for example, Generals Chacon and Severo Castillo, the one to the 8th, and the other to the 9th, military division.

Your excellency labours under another error, due doubtless to your absence from state business, which, however, I hasten to rectify. It is that you attribute the evacuation of the towns to the French troops. The latter did not evacuate them, but gave them over to the Mexican troops, who, for some cause or other, have not defended them; this is the truth, and it is right for your excellency to know it.